Defining transitions based upon differences between states

Abstract

A method is illustrated that comprises receiving at least two states, each state including at least one object with an associated property. Further, the method includes comparing each object of each state to produce a set of differences between states. Additionally, the method includes defining a transition based upon the set of differences.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer implemented method to build a user interface, the method comprising:
 receiving a first state of a user interface (UI) comprising a first plurality of user interface objects including a first user interface object associated with the first state; 
 receiving a second state of the UI comprising a second plurality of user interface objects, the first user interface object not being associated with the second state; 
 comparing the first and second states of the UI to produce a first set of differences between user interface objects of the first and second states of the UI; 
 defining a plurality of transitions between the first and second states of the UI based upon at least the first set of differences, the plurality of transitions corresponding to a transition timeline view; 
 presenting, in a graphical user interface, a transition timeline area including the transition timeline view comprising a first track representing a first property corresponding to the first user interface object, the first property to occur during a first transition of the plurality of transitions, the first property corresponding to at least one of a visual effect or an audio effect indicating that the first user interface object is not associated with the second state; 
 receiving a user interface object selection input identifying a second user interface object and associating the second user interface object with at least one of the first and second states of the UI, wherein the second user interface object is different from the first user interface object and corresponds to a second property, and wherein the second user interface object is not associated with the at least one of the first and second states of the UI until the user interface object selection input is received; 
 subsequent to the receiving of the user interface object selection input, comparing each user interface object of the first and second states of the UI to produce a second set of differences between the first and second states of the UI, wherein the second set of differences is distinct from the first set of differences; 
 defining at least a second transition of the plurality of transitions based upon the second set of differences; and 
 presenting the second transition in a second track of the transition timeline view in the graphical user interface, wherein the first track and the second track are each distinct tracks of the transition timeline view. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein a state is a set of user interface object properties. 
     
     
       3. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein a user interface object of the first plurality of user interface objects includes at least one of a component, a widget, user interface control, a layer, a group, a graphic artwork, text, or a path. 
     
     
       4. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the property includes a fade-out effect. 
     
     
       5. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of differences includes at least one default transition that identifies properties that are automatically selected, based upon a difference in user interface objects between the first and second states of the UI, in lieu of being user selected. 
     
     
       6. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the plurality of transitions. 
     
     
       7. The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the plurality of transitions within a display area. 
     
     
       8. A computer system comprising:
 at least one processor and at least one memory device; 
 a receiver, stored in the at least one memory device and executable by the at least one processor, to receive at least a first and a second state of a user interface (UI), the first state of the UI comprising a first plurality of user interface objects including a first user interface object associated with the first state and not associated with the second state, and the second state of the UI comprising a second plurality of user interface objects including a second user interface object different from the first user interface object, the second user interface object being associated with the second state and not associated with the first state; 
 a comparison engine, stored in the at least one memory device and executable by the at least one processor, to compare the first and second states of the UI to produce a first set of differences between user interface objects of the first and second states of the UI; 
 a transition engine, stored in the at least one memory device and executable by the at least one processor, to define a plurality of transitions between the first and second states of the UI based upon at least the first set of differences, the plurality of transitions corresponding to a transition timeline view; 
 a rendering engine, stored in the at least one memory device and executable by the at least one processor, to present, in a graphical user interface, a transition timeline area including the transition timeline view comprising a first track representing a first property corresponding to the first user interface object, the first property to occur during a first transition of the plurality of transitions and a second track representing a second property corresponding to the second user interface object, the second property to occur during a second transition of the plurality of transitions; 
 an input device, stored in the at least one memory device and executable by the at least one processor, to receive a user interface object selection input identifying a third user interface object and associating the third user interface object with at least one of the first and second states of the UI, wherein the third user interface object is different from the first and second user interface objects and corresponds to a third property, and wherein the third user interface object is not associated with the at least one of the first and second states of the UI until the user interface object selection input is received; 
 the comparison engine to compare each user interface object of the first and second states of the UI to produce a second set of differences between the first and second states of the UI, subsequent to the receiving of the user interface object selection input, wherein the second set of differences is distinct from the first set of differences; 
 the transition engine to define at least a third transition of the plurality of transitions based upon the second set of differences; and 
 the rendering engine to present the third transition in a third track of the timeline view in the graphical user interface, wherein the first track, the second track, and the third track are each distinct tracks of the transition timeline view. 
 
     
     
       9. The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein a state is a set of user interface object properties. 
     
     
       10. The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein a user interface object of the first plurality of user interface objects includes at least one of a component, a widget, user interface control, a layer, a group, a graphic artwork, text, or a path. 
     
     
       11. The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the property includes at least one of a move effect, a wipe effect, a resize effect, a fade-in effect, an auditory effect, or a fade-out effect. 
     
     
       12. The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the first set of differences includes at least one default transition that identifies properties that are automatically selected, based upon a difference in user interface objects between the first and second states of the UI, in lieu of being user selected. 
     
     
       13. The computer system of  claim 8 , further comprising a storage device to store the plurality of transitions. 
     
     
       14. The computer system of  claim 8 , further comprising a display to display the plurality of transitions within a display area. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more machines, cause the one or more machines to perform the following operations:
 receive at least a first and a second state of a user interface (UI), the first state of the UI comprising a first plurality of user interface objects including a first user interface object associated with the first state and not associated with the second state, and the second state of the UI comprising a second plurality of user interface objects including a second user interface object different from the first user interface object, the second user interface object being associated with the second state and not associated with the first state; 
 compare the first and second states of the UI to produce a first set of differences between user interface objects of the first and second states of the UI; 
 define a plurality of transitions between the first and second states of the UI based upon at least the first set of differences, the plurality of transitions corresponding to a transition timeline view; 
 present, in a graphical user interface, a transition timeline area including the transition timeline view comprising a first track representing a first property corresponding to the first user interface object, the first property to occur during a first transition of the plurality of transitions and a second track representing a second property corresponding to the second user interface object, the second property to occur during a second transition of the plurality of transitions; 
 receive a user interface object selection input identifying a third user interface object and associating the third user interface object with at least one of the first and second states of the UI, wherein the third user interface object is different from the first and second user interface objects and corresponds to a third property, and wherein the third user interface object is not associated with the at least one of the first and second states of the UI until the user interface object selection input is received; 
 subsequent to the receiving of the user interface object selection input, compare each user interface object of the first and second states of the UI to produce a second set of differences between the first and second states of the UI, wherein the second set of differences is distinct from the first set of differences; 
 define at least a third transition of the plurality of transitions based upon the second set of differences; and 
 present, in the timeline view in the graphical user interface, at least a third track representing a third property corresponding to the third user interface object to occur during the third transition, wherein the first track, the second track, and the third track are each distinct tracks of the transition timeline view.